


Spiderwebs and Coffee

by james



Category: Marvel 616, Tales of Suspense
Genre: Established Relationship, F/M, M/M, Multi, Sexual References, mild violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-12
Updated: 2019-01-12
Packaged: 2019-10-08 21:02:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,657
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17393657
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/james/pseuds/james
Summary: Set after Tales of Suspense: Hawkeye & the Winter Soldier.  Bucky is helping Nat; Clint isn't happy about it.





	Spiderwebs and Coffee

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Meatball42](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Meatball42/gifts).



The drones kept pouring out of the building. Faceless, robot-like things that fell down dead in almost the same way a human body would, which was nice, in Bucky's opinion, because it made killing them so much easier. But there were a lot of them, and they kept coming. If they didn't stop soon then Catamél was going to get away.

They'd been fighting long enough that Bucky was down to close-range weapons, which was just irritating because he could _see_ Catamél on the fourth floor, watching out of the window, holding the device that controlled the drones. One quick shot and it would be all over, and none of the drones were carrying long-range weapons that he could appropriate.

Nat wasn't making any more progress than he was – in no more danger of getting herself killed than Bucky, but the sheer number of drones was holding them to a standstill. It was going to be a huge fucking pain to track this guy down again – and they'd have to, eventually, even though he wasn't technically part of Natasha's list. Or maybe he was on List #2; Bucky wasn't keeping track, he was just going where Natasha told him to go and shoot who she wanted shot.

They'd stumbled upon Catamél and his plan for world-domination by accident a week ago, and since then twice the guy had slipped away while they'd fought off these drone things. Bucky slammed his elbow into the head of one that was trying to jump on his back, flung it off and into a couple more. Like swarming ants, he thought. With no fear of dying and apparently feeling no pain, nothing stopped them short of removing the parts that made the whole body work. Head shots, or removing arms and legs to leave them flopping around uselessly.

He caught a glimpse of Natasha flipping through the air, bringing more drones down with her as she landed.

Then Bucky stopped, lungs burning as he gulped air, and looked around.

All the drones had dropped. Most were lying scattered in bits and pieces, some bits still twitching towards them like they'd be happy to bite at their ankles if given the chance. A quick look showed that Catamél was no longer at the window, so as one, he and Natasha made a run for the front door.

They found him, dead on the floor, one arrow through his forehead.

Natasha sighed. 

~

They found Clint sitting on the rooftop of the next building over, just at the limit of Bucky's range but exactly where he would have set up, himself, to make the same shot. He didn't know if Clint had done that on purpose so they could find him, or if they simply had similar preferences in targeting. 

He also didn't know if he was supposed to be surprised Clint had found them; judging by Natasha's earlier pained look, now smoothed over into an expressionless mask, Nat wasn't surprised, just disappointed.

Clint was leaning against a wall, watching them as they came up the fire escape. His arms were crossed, but he didn't look as pissed off as Bucky figured he had the right to be. He wasn't trying for nonchalant, either, but there was definitely _stubborn_ written all over his stance. Bucky wasn't completely sure what these two had between them, only knew that they'd been partners for a long time and that Clint was one of the few people Natasha trusted, even when she claimed there was no one.

“Clint--” Natasha began, and Bucky could hear the explanations ready to roll off her tongue, liquid and easy like the lies they would be.

“Did you really think I would believe you were dead?” Clint interrupted her, and Bucky could hear the hurt, see the clench of his law that said just how upset he was. Nothing like the ridiculous, laid-back guy he'd worked with, Bucky thought. Or maybe it was, and Natasha just had access to more of Clint's layers.

Bucky glanced over, saw Natasha wasn't trying to answer. But her expression was more open, now, and whatever she'd end up saying next would be closer to the truth. At least it wouldn't be a lie, which Bucky figured Clint could see, as well as Bucky. 

None of them said anything for a long moment, Bucky just waiting to see what was going to happen – probably he should leave them to it, but neither of them seemed to care he was just standing there, watching everything. Mostly it was just simple curiosity, but another part of him had to admit he cared – about Natasha, how she was dealing with all her shit, whether or not Clint was good for her. And about Clint as well, because Nat trusted him and that was pretty damned intriguing.

For what it was worth, Bucky trusted Nat as well, maybe more now than he used to. Well then, he'd been the Winter Soldier for all the wrong reasons; he hadn't been able to trust anybody. But he'd loved her, once upon a time, and probably still would if he had a chance to think about it, if there was any chance of doing something about it. If it mattered – it seemed like there was never any time to stop and think about this stuff, and honestly Bucky preferred it that way. 

He did know that if Natasha offered, he would say yes, and he wouldn't even ask if it was a good idea. But he had no clue what Clint felt, or how Nat felt about Clint, if their partnership included those sorts of feelings or not. 

Bucky had a hunch that Clint would be a lot of fun in bed. Maybe if Natasha gave in and invited him to help with her mission, Bucky would have a chance to find out. 

In a smooth motion, Clint slung his bow onto his back. 

“Clint--” Nat began.

“I didn't do this to prove a point,” Clint interrupted her. “I wanted to let you know I'd found you, that I knew. I wasn't angling to prove you needed me on this.” He glanced down, off towards where Catamél's body was laying, waiting for S.H.I.E.L.D. forces to come claim him. 

“We appreciate the help anyhow,” Bucky told him, grinning at him a little. Clint looked surprised, but grinned back.

When he turned back to Natasha, the grin died away. “I don't need you to bring me along. I don't need your secrets,” he shook his head, sharply, like he was expecting Natasha to object. Or apologise. “I don't need you to be honest with me, Tash. Just don't lie to me.”

There was nothing from Natasha for a moment, Bucky could see her thinking it over. Then she just nodded. “All right.”

Clint narrowed his eyes at her in what Bucky could tell was an exaggerated accusation of disbelief. Well, to be fair Bucky couldn't tell if Natasha really meant it, or not. But seeing Clint teasing her was probably a good thing. 

“Since Catamél's dead, are we gonna start looking for Antonovich again, or do we get a night off?” Bucky asked. “I only ask because I could use a shower.” He saw Clint's nose wrinkle and flipped him off. “Fuck you, you can't smell me from over there.”

“I want dinner, and a shower sounds good,” Natasha said. Bucky saw the way Clint's muscles tensed up, shifting his weight backwards to step away from them and make his goodbyes. “Do you want to stay?” she asked, and Clint looked sincerely surprised.

“Uh, for dinner, or dinner and--” He glanced at Bucky – then stopped and gave Bucky a slow look up and down, purely for Bucky's benefit, no doubt, since he'd had plenty of chances to get a good look before now. Bucky certainly had, admiring the flex of his ass, and his biceps.

Natasha tilted her head at Bucky, and he shrugged, nodded. Wasn't likely Clint would try to murder either of them in their sleep, or call the reporters in to get pictures. Not that any attempt of the sort would be successful, but dinner, shower, and sex were all nicer when nobody was being an asshole about it.

Clint was frowning at both of them, now. Whatever he was thinking, though, he didn't say, because his face cleared and he spread his hands out, framing Bucky and Nat from his point of view. “Like I would ever be dumb enough to turn this down.” 

~

Clint wasn't surprised to discover they were putting him in the middle – nor was he surprised later when both Bucky and Nat had way more stamina than he did. When he tapped out, they let him roll to the side of the bed, ready to bury his head in the pillow and sleep the sleep of the super-deserving.

As he closed his eyes, he tried to tell them, “I know you're gonna be gone in the morning.” He wanted to let Nat know it was okay, because he wasn't going to try to follow her again. He was sound asleep before he could finish his sentence, but with Nat that sort of thing never mattered.

When he woke up, it was late – sunshine clear and bright, even blocked somewhat by the curtains. Nat had pulled them first thing last night when they'd rented the room – Clint had ordered dinner while Nat checked the room and Bucky had gone to check the building. Dinner, showers all around, then hours and hours of enthusiastic fun – his body was sore enough he was definitely going to check out the huge sunken, jetted tub he'd spotted in the bathroom.

Then he realised he smelled bacon and coffee, and he turned his head to look.

Nat and Bucky were sitting at the table, eating breakfast. There was a third cup of coffee on the table, closest to the bed.


End file.
